Posted by Kristian on June 08, 2005 at 08:40:45:
I've been looking in to acquiring a CJ2A jeep for a while now, and I've found a few candidates rotting in barns or tucked in the woods, but nothing I'm too enthusiastic about. I'm not interested in a restoration project, simply getting the functionality and aesthetic of a good ol' flat fender...
Anyhow, after looking for all kinds of replacement parts for different CJ2A's, a thought occurred to me: Would it be possible to build an entire CJ2A-like vehicle from new replacement parts? The only things I couldn't find were L 134 engine blocks, complete air filter parts, and the original steering setup. (I should clarify that I mean parts necessary to build a vehicle with the body of a CJ2A on a CJ2A frame with a CJ2A-spec power train... I didn't search for anything more particular), everything else is just a few clicks away. The only reason I've found for not building entirely from replacement parts is the cost can get out of hand. Has anyone ever attempted this?
My other questions relate to fuel economy (not a selling point for any jeep!). First, does anyone have first hand experience of how much fuel a fiberglass body can save over steel? Secondly, has anyone ever tried to install a diesel engine in a CJ2A? I guess that second question is a little broader than fuel economy, but thats the logic behind it :)
Thanks for reading through all this, and thanks in advance for any answers.
K
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